The key facts
- Harry in the GQ interview: 'I want it to work' — about reconciliation with his father and brother
- Sussex spokesperson: the interview's publication was the publisher's decision, no hints at William
- Harry and Meghan held their first joint public engagement in the UK since the summer
Statement on reconciliation
The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, in an interview with GQ magazine given in New York, said he wants to repair his difficult relationship with his father and brother. 'Some people don't want it to work. I want it to work. With everything going on in the world, the most important thing is reconciliation, that's the key point,' the BBC quotes him as saying. He added: 'Scars remain forever. But your perception of and attitude toward what happened, letting go of the past — that's what I would encourage everyone to do.'
Timing of publication
The interview was published at a moment when the royal family in Windsor was hosting the Sultan of Oman at the start of a state visit. A Sussex spokesperson said the interview was recorded in late September and the publication date was entirely the publisher's decision, and that no hidden meaning should be sought in the timing. According to the spokesperson, the phrase 'some people don't want it to work' was not a jab at Prince William or other family members.
Context
Harry and Meghan moved from the UK to the US in 2020, stepping back from their duties as working members of the royal family amid what the BBC describes as an acrimonious split. Harry's memoir 'Spare' revealed the depth of the family rift and the strained relationship with his brother William. Although Harry is now physically closer to his family in the UK, there has been no increase in emotional closeness with his brother, according to BBC correspondent Sean Coughlan. Earlier, in May 2025, Harry had already spoken in a BBC interview about his desire to build bridges.
On family conflicts and his mother's memory
Harry acknowledged that the story of family discord is 'massively relatable' to the public: 'Disagreements between siblings, broken relationships between children and parents — it comes up constantly in conversations with people.' He also spoke about the feeling of loss after the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997: 'I like that I can now carry my mother's memory with me in my work, rather than letting it drag me down or sinking into grief.' Harry rejected the idea that he is seeking public sympathy: 'I definitely don't want any sympathy. We moved past that a long time ago. Why? Because I'm a prince. I have a support network, I've been through various forms of therapy and done the work.'
Visit to Nottingham
Last week Harry and Meghan held their first joint public engagement since returning to the UK this summer — the visit took place in Nottingham.
Image source, Reuters Prince Harry carried out visits in Nottingham last week
